Social venture’s pet grooming grads now empowered to earn microloans thanks to trio of KC backers

Graduates of Kansas City-based Pawsperity’s pet grooming training programs are now eligible to apply for RISE Microloans to launch or grow their businesses — an opportunity boosted by an economic equity initiative to provide microloans to fledgling entrepreneurs. The Plaza Rotary Club program, RISE Microloan (short for Rotary Investing & Supporting Equity), is offered through AltCap,…

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$500K Etsy grant expected to help AltCap offer microloans to artists, creative entrepreneurs

AltCap this week announced a new partnership with the global marketplace Etsy to provide microloans to artists and creative entrepreneurs in America’s Heartland.  Etsy has awarded AltCap, an impact-focused small business lender, a $500,000 grant to provide $1,000 to $10,000 loans through the ARTcap Microloan Fund to artists and creative entrepreneurs in Kansas, Missouri and…

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AltCap launches Heartland expansion to aid more small biz typically overlooked by lenders

An expanded geographic footprint for AltCap will see the Kansas City-based small business lender make capital more accessible for entrepreneurs in Missouri, Kansas, Texas, and Colorado. The mission-driven Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) finances small businesses and community-driven real estate development projects that create more economically-inclusive communities. “AltCap’s expansion has better positioned us for long…

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Kauffman grants $5.3M to AltCap to help those overlooked by lenders access capital

Editor’s note: The Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is a financial supporter of Startland News. [divide] A significant new grant from the Ewing Marion Kauffman Foundation is expected to help AltCap support the capitalization and administration of a fund that increases access to capital for entrepreneurs in distressed areas of Kansas City and for those whose credit…

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AltCap, GIFT, small business allies partner to expand opportunities for Black-owned ventures

A coalition of Kansas City organizations have joined forces to launch a new partnership that will invest in the region’s Black-owned small businesses through flexible debt and equity financing, grant funding and business advisory services, the group announced Thursday. “Unfortunately, many Black entrepreneurs are left out of the financial mainstream when it comes to business…

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